Refrigeration and air conditioning equipment



Dec. l, 1953 w. G. DURANT 2,660,865

REFRIGERAIION AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT Filed March 6, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. l, 1953 W. G. DURANT REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT Filed March 6, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1, 1953 w. G. DURANT 2,660,865

REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT Filed March 6, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. l, 1953 W. G. DURANT REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT Filed March 6, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 -tory or dependable.

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT 'Wilbur G. Durant, Pasadena, Calif., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Transicold Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 6, 1950, Serial No. 147,778

8 Claims.

This invention is concerned with refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, and it is a general object of the invention to provide simple, practical, dependable equipment suitable for use where a desired temperature is to be established and maintained and where air is to be circulated, as for instance, in a refrigerated area,

The present invention is concerned with that class or type of refrigeration equipment wherein a prime mover, for example, an internal combustion engine, is employed to operate refrigerating machinery and where it is desired that air be circulated or that other or auxiliary equipment be operated. An example of such a situation occurs where it is desired to refrigerate or air condition a vehicle such as a motor vehicle c1' a rail vehicle. There are many cases where such vehicles are desired to be refrigerated and thus require refrigeration machinery to be operated, usu.. ally by independent prime movers, and in the case of such equipment it is often desirable that the air in the refrigerated space or compartment be maintained in motion, as by one or more fans or blowers. Refrigeration equipment usually employed for this type of service involves a compressor driven -by an engine and a means for driving a suitably located fan or blower. 'Ihis type of equipment is usually characterized by various drives involving shafts or joints, or both, for instance belt drives, and is cumbersome and complicated so that its mounting is diflicult and limited and its service is not altogether satisfac- Where electric drives are provided, they generally involve belt driven equipment and are limited to constant speed operation due to the generation of current for field excitation. Furthermore such systems usually involve complicated control equipment.

It is a general object of this invention to provide refrigeration equipment wherein there is a group or assembly of elements involving a prime mover such as an internal combustion engine, a compressor which handles refrigerant, and an electrical generator, which elements operate in synchronism and as a unit, the generator having a permanent magnet rotating eld which is capable of supplying energy suitable for operation of fans or blowers even though the equipment is operated at various speeds.

A further object of this invention is to provide equipment of the general character referred to characterized by a unitary assembly` which is simple in form, compact, dependable, and highly effective, which assembly involves an internal combustion engine and a refrigerant compressor and an electrical generator interposed between the engine and the compressor. In the arrangement provided by the invention, the working or rotating part of the compressor and the rotor of the generator are in line with and directly driven by the rotating element or shaft of the engine.

The equipment provided by the present invention involves a frame of simple regular form suitable for convenient mounting on a vehicle, preferably at the exterior thereof. The frame carries certain principal parts, namely, a prime mover, preferably in the form of an internal combustion engine, a compressor handling refrigerant, and an electric generator `which is disposed between and which couples the engine and compressor. Other or auxiliary equipment is also carried by the frame and may include a radiator handling coolant for the engine and an air cooled condenser handling the refrigerant as it is delivered by the compressor.

The generator is cf the permanent magnet type and therefore operates to deliver a supply of current suitable for operating fan or blower motors, even though its speed of operation may vary widely as the compressor is operated in a manner to maintain the desired supply of refrigerant, In the preferred form of the invention, suitable 'air moving or handling equipment is provided and is suitably related to the power assembly. The air handling equipment ordinarily involves one or more electric motors operating one or more suitable fans cr blowers. The motor of such air moving equipment is coupled with the permanent magnet generator by a suitable current carrying cable making it possible to locate the air handling equipment remote from the prime mover and generator just as the expander, or refrigerant handling unit supplied by the compressor may be located remote from the compressor. In a typical and practical installation where the equipment is provided for refrigerating a motor vehicle such as a truck or trailer or combination of truck and trailer, etc., the prime mover, generator and compressor may be located in any suitable or convenient manner, preferably at the exterior of the body to be refrigerated, while the refrigerant eX- pander or refrigerant handling unit receiving refrigerant from the compressor may be located in such body.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple, compact, dependable construction cou pling a prime mover such as an internal combustion engine and a refrigerant compressor by means cf or through an electrical generator, so

3 that the construction is made simple and inexpensive of manufacture, simple and convenient to assemble, and such that it involves but few simple, dependable parts. With the construction provided by the present invention bearings provided to handle the shafts of the engine and compressor are the only shaft bearings required, vin that the rotor of the generator is employedas a coupling between the shafts of the engine `and compressor in such manner that this element of the generator does not require any independent or special support and is therefore entirely without the usual rotor bearings.

The various objects and features -of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a typical cargocarrying vehicle having lequipment provided by the present invention, the particular vehicle sillustrated being a motor vehicle in which a cargo carrying body is propelled by a traction unit. Figr2 "is an enlarged detailed sectional view'taken substantially as indicated by line 2--2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view't'aken substantially asiindicatedby line v3---3 onVFig. l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of vthe equipmentshown in Fig. 3 as applied to `the frame of the vehicle 'to depend therefrom, the coverplates being removed so that the various essential units of the equipment are shown located in the frame by which they are attached to `the vehicle. -Fig. 5 is a detailed transverse sectional View taken as :indicated by line 5 5 on Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 6--16 on Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudi- -nal sectional view taken through the generator and showing the manner in which the generator `couples the engine and compressor. Fig. 8 is an venlargedidetailed'sectional view taken as indicated by/line `B-B on Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detailed view taken as indicated by line 9-9 on Fig. 7,

`with'certain parts broken away to illustrate de- '.t'ailslofconstruction, and Fig. l0 is a diagram- 7matic Yview illustrating the various elements lof -the` apparatus and showing the manner in which `they may be connected.

Since the refrigerating and air conditioning euipment provided by this invention is particularly useful and practical as applied to or as fused inV connection with a cargo carrying motor kvehicle such, for example as a truck, I have il- 'lustrated it in a form suitable for this type of -service and have shown it as applied to a typical or yconventional cargo carrying motor vehicle.

"It is to bev-understood, of course, thatthe invenktion can be used yto advantage on or in connec- -tion -with cargo carriers generally, and it yis -highly practical as applied to various wheeled `vehicles such as railroad rolling stock, and motor `vehicles generally, including various forms nor-types of cargo-carrying vehiclesgenerally clas- `lrlsiiied as trucks.

The invention provides, generally, what I will -refer to as a power assembly and an air handling assembly, land also a refrigerant handling unit. In the drawings the power assembly is illustrated Yat-X, .the air handling assembly is illustrated at Y and 'the refrigerant handling unit is illustrated at Z.

The vpower assembly is characterized, generally, by 4a'frarne III supporting a prime moverin lel() of Lair within such space. 4dling `unit Z `is -gine and is'driven by a the form of an internal combustion engine A, an electrical generator B and a refrigerant compressor C. In the particular case illustrated, the frame III is shown as a structure or unit formed independently of the motor vehicle and is applied thereto in a suitable manner and at a suitable 'lccation where it does not interfere with other parts yor equipment nor with Ifree .handling or use of the vehicle. In the particular case illustrated, the air handling assembly Y and the refrigerant handling unit Z, are both located Ain-thebox-like body 'I2 of the vehicle where they operate to cool the space or chamber established iby the lbody and to maintain proper circulation The refrigerant hanshown as involving a simple or conventional Kexpander I3 while the air handling unit Y is shown as involving suitable blowers I4 operated by an electric motor I5. In the particular case illustrated, the body I2 of the vehicle `is supported ona suitable frame `I'I having front @andrear'supporting wheels I3 and I9, the front supporting wheels I8 being common to a draft unit `I I. The power assembly X provided by :the fpresent invention is shown mounted beneaththe'body I2 between the wheels I8 and I9, the frame II! of the ,power assembly being lattached to the :frame I1 of the vehicle.

The frame Ii) may "vary widely in form yand construction. In a typical case, such as is illustrated, :the frame In may be an open cell-like structure involving bottom beams 20, top beams l22I and suitable posts or uprights 22. The several elements of the frame are preferably joined togetherto form a rigid unitary structureandin practice, the frame `may be advantageously secured to a vpart of thevehicle such as the'frame -II 'thereof by simple brackets 23 or the like.

The primeimover A, which is preferably acon- Yventional internal combustion engine supplied -withfuel from a tank 24 suitably located on the vehicle, is fcarried in the frame I0, preferably ,about midway between the ends of the frame. Theparticular .engine illustrated involves a suitable case or Vhousing `(il) supporting a cylinder block 3I yandashaft 32. A ywheel 331s carried ontherear end of shaft 32 at theexterior ofthefhousing 30 and'is shownreleasably `joined to a fiangellofithesnaft 32 annularfseries of `screw fasteners l:35. An air circulating fan 36 :is located inthe frame forward of :the-enforward extension 31 .of In accordance with the arrangement provided by the present a radiator `38 and arefrigerantcooler `the engine shaft 32. preferred invention,

or condenser 39 4are-carried by the frame I0 4in frontioftheifan-ri. The radiator 38 `carries-the coolant employedby `theiengine A-.whilezthe reifrigerant cooler receives the .refrigerant delivferedbyxthe compressor C. In the preferred `arrrangementftheradiator 38 is located betweenthe :refrigerant condenser :38 .and fan 36, as clearly fshowni inFig. .4 'of the drawings.

The compressori() isshown 'as atypical Vorcon- Went-ional:compressor 'employed for handlinga suitable refrigeraritior 'a' system 'of the character with which this invention is concerned. Th'e ycompressor i is.` shown supported from the "bottom beams 20 of the frameI-Ilbymeans of abase' l'sothatiit iss-rigidly `supported in the frame with its f shaft f4 I concentric with theshaft v132 of renfgineA.

The electrical generatorB is located'between and vcouples the engine A and thecompressoriC,

- and fin `its preferred form it involves, generally,

a casing 42 that connects the housing 30 of engine A and the housing 42 of compressor C, a rotor 44 driven by the engine and a stator 45 carried by the case 42.

The case 42 is preferably of sectional construe tion, and in the case illustrated, it involves an engine section 46 which is fixed to the case 30 of the engine, as by suitable fasteners 47, and a compressor section 48 which is fixed to the case 43 of the compressor, as by suitable fasteners 49. The engine section 46 of case 42 encloses or houses the flywheel 33 of the engine, while the compressor section 48 carries or supports the stator which surrounds the rotor 44. A suitable mounting means 50 supports the rotor 44 of the generator within the stator so that it is concentric with the shafts 32 and 4I and is driven by the shaft of the engine. The sections 45 and 48 of the generator case 42 are suitably secured or joined together as by fasteners 5|.

In accordance with the present invention, the generator B is of the permanent magnet type, and the rotor 44 of the generator is characterized by an annular series of permanent magnets 55. To provide a rotor in the nature of a eld established by permanent magnets and having suffik cient strength or capacity and which is of substantial diameter, I preferably provide an annular series of permanent magnets involving six magnets of limited size, rather than fewer large magnets such as generally characterize permanent magnet generators of this general character.

In practice, I may construct the rotor 44 of the generator in any suitable manner. In the case illustrated, the rotor is shown as involving the permanent magnets 55 suitably related to pole pieces 58, and the various elements entering into the rotor are secured or tied together to form a permanent assembly by means of a plurality of suitable couplings or ties 59. It is to be understood that the present invention is not to be considered limited to any particular rotor construction in the generator, and that in practice any rotor construction of the general type illustrated in the drawings may be used to advantage.

The stator 45 of the generator is shown suitably supported in the compressor section 43 of the generator case and it is shown as involving, generally, suitably related laminations 50 and windings 6|zt forming an annular structure that surrounds the rotor 44 with suitable working clearance.

The mounting means 50 provided by the present invention supports the rotor 44 concentrically with shaft 32 and in the preferred form of the invention, it is in the form of an annular or tubular core 5! having one end joined or xed to the flywheel 33 of the engine to be concentric therewith. A feature of the structure is the formation of the core 6I so that its inside diameter is greater than the diameter of the series of fasteners 35 joining the ilywheel 33 to the shaft 32 thus making it possible to reach the fasteners 35 through the other or outer end of the core 6| when the casing sections of the generator are separated and the engine and compressor are moved apart far enough so that a suitable tool can be introduced through the core to the fasteners 35. In the preferred form of the invention, the core 5i is permanently or integrally joined to the flywheel 33 as by brazing, Welding, or other suitably means, so that it is, in effect, a part thereof. It will be apparent from Fig. 7 of the drawings, how the rotor 44 of the generator may be mounted on the exterior of the core 6l or against a flange 65 on the core so that it is properly located axially. The rotor may be secured on the core 6| in any suitable manner as, for instance, by Welding 66, or the like.

The present invention provides a coupling means 'i0 between the engine A and compressor yC and in the preferred form of the invention, the coupling means acts through or is connected with the mounting means 50, just described. In the form of construction illustrated, the coupling means 'I0 involves pins 7i projecting from the outer end of the core 6| so that they are parallel with the axis of the core and therefore with the shafts 32 and 4|. A drive flange l2 is fixed on the projecting end of the compressor shaft 4I and drive bushings 13 are carried in the flange and receive the pins. In the particular case illustrated, the flange l2 is retained on the shaft 4l by threaded retainers 'l5 and is keyed thereto by a suitable driving key it. The drive bushings 13 are preferably rubber or rubber-like bushings suitably mounted in openings provided in the drive fiange l2, the bushings being provided with openings which receive the projecting pins 'H as clearly shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings.

Through the construction just described, as the motor or engine operates, the shaft 32 rotates carrying with it the rotor 44 of the generator and the shaft il of the compressor. It is significant to observe that through the construction that I have provided, the engine bearings 86 and compressor bearings 3i are the only bearings required to support the rotating assembly, there being no separate or individual bearings required to support the rotor of the generator. This feature not only simplifies construction and reduces cost but it makes for a very simple compact construction which is highly important where space is at a premium.

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, the rigid assembly involving the prime mover A, the generator B and the compressor C is maintained in the desired position in the frame i by the base 4 which supports the compressor and a mounting bracket provided at the forward end of the engine and attached to a suitable cross member 86 of frame Ill. It has been found, in practice, that these two supports or supporting means are effective and adequate for carrying the assembly of principal parts. In the particular case illustrated, an intermediate support is provided so that the engine A will remain in place in the frame when the sections of the generator case are separated and the compressor C moved away from the engine. In the construction illustrated, lugs 89 are provided on the sides of the engine section of the generator and rest on brackets 9G provided on suitably located uprights 22 of the frame l0.

In a preferred or typical installation; a delivery line extends from the compressor C to the cooler or condenser 39 at the forward end of the frame l0. A refrigerant line lill extends from the condenser 39 to the expansion unit Z and in accordance with the usual practice, a suitable accumulator |02 and expansion or control valve 93 may be included in this line. A refrigerant return line E54 extends from the unit Z to the compresor.

Main power lines HD carry the output from the generator B to the motor I5 of the air handling unit Y through a suitable control switch S. In accordance with the invention, an emergency extension or connection l|2 is provided in con-- nection with the main power line l I0 and is prefein cluding, a prime mover having a housing at one end thereof and a projecting drive shaft at said one end, a compressor having housing at one end thereof, and adjacent the housing of prime mover having a rotating part projecting theref ein at said one an elect icai generator positioned To uWeen prirne mover said compressor a d having a case connected to ana jcii i and having a rotor within the case and support d solely by means of the drive ait to operate therewith, said prime mover, generator, and compressor being arranged as a compact and in axial alinement, and a drive from the rotor to the said rotating part of the compressor, the rotor including an annular core concentric with the shaft and connected thereto and the drive including a member projecting from the core and an element on said new and engaged by said member whereby said n ie mover is operativem ly connected to said compressor by said eneru ator.

5. Apparatus of the character described ine cluding, a prime mover having a housing at one end thereof and a projecting drive shaft with a flywheel thereon at said one end, a compressor having a housing at one end thereof and adjacent the housing of said prirne mover and having a rotating part projecting therefrom at one end, and an electrical generator positioned between said prime mover and said compressor and having a case connected to and joining said housings and having a rotor within the case and supported solely by means of the drive shaft to operate therewith, the rotor including a core atm tached to the flywheel and projecting therefrom axially of the shaft, and means connecting said core with the rotating part of said compressor, whereby said prime mover is operatively coupled to said compressor to drive the same.

5. Apparatus of the character described. including, a prime mover having a housing at one end thereof and a projecting drive shaft at said one end, a ywheel, means central of the nywheel and shaft releasably attaching the fly-- wheel to the shaft, a compressor having a housing at one end thereof and adjacent the housing of said prime mover and having a rotating part projecting therefrom at said one end, and an electrical generator having a case connected to and joining said housings and having a rotor Within the case and supported solely by means iii or the drive shaft to operate therewith, the rotor including an annular core with one end attached to the iyv/heel concentrically therewith and projecting therefrom toward the compressor and having releasabie driving engagement with said part of the coin, ressor, the core being open and providing access to nieans when the said part of the compressor is released irc-rn the core and removed therefrom, and ineans connecting core with the rotating part ci' said compressor, whereby said prime mover is operatively counied to compressor to drive the same.

7 ,A unit of the character described includ an engine having a housing at one end thereof, a nrojectirrT from the housing at one end, a flywheel, and means at the centrai no; ion of the fiywheei releasably coupling the ywheel to the projecting portion of the en gine shaft, a compressor having a housing at one end thereof and adjacent the housing of said prime rnover and having a rotating part projecting therefrom at said one end, an electrical generator positioned between said prime mover and said compressor and including a case release-bly connected to the housing of the engine and to the housing of the compressor, an annular stator carried in the case, and a rotor within the stator and having an annular core fixed to the flywheel concentric therewith and surrounding said and a drive connection from the core of the rotor to said part of the compressor, whereby said nrirne mover is operatively coupled to said compressor to drive the same.

3. A, unit of the character described in claim 7 in which the drive connection from the core of the rotor to said part of said compressor' includes a ria-nge on said part, pins projecting from the core, and bushings carried by the iiange and receiving said pins.

WILBUR. G. DURANT.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PA ENTS Number Name Date 2,077,974 Wishart Apr. 20, 1937 2,104,383 Candor et al. Jan. 4, 1938 2,248,654 Ballon, Jr. July 8, 15341 2,251,376 Ross Aug- 5, 1941 2,258,503 Vollenweider Oct. 7, 1941 2,341,781 Hornaday Feb, 15, 1944 2,388,210 Hanson et al. Oct. 30, 1945 2,407,883 Jackson Sept. 17, 1946 

